“The NAACP is staunchly opposed to “Stand Your Ground” laws,” said Shelton in his testimony. “They are applied in a racially biased manner, and the bottom line is, as we saw in Sanford, FL, that they make it easier for people to murder other human beings and not face any legal consequence. As such eviscerating any deterrent to gun related homicides, and even providing a road map to getting out of jail scot-free.”

In light of the tragic death of Trayvon Martin and the overwhelming national awareness around numerous issues surrounding this case, the NAACP developed a set of state policy principles called “Trayvon’s Law” which embody legislative responses that will greatly reduce the likelihood of another tragedy like the killing of Trayvon Martin. A key principle of Trayvon’s Law is repealing “Stand Your Ground” laws. Click here for full description of Trayvon’s Law

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Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation's oldest and largestnonpartisan civil rights organization. Its members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities. You can read more about the NAACP’s work and our five “Game Changer” issue areas here.